You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

McDonald's Proves It's Resistant to Recession

By Dennis Romero

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

mcdonalds-economy.jpgFast-food titan McDonald's announced quarterly profits that beat Wall Street's estimates and proved, arguably, that the business of cheap fast food done well sometimes thrives in a down economy. Franchisees own a majority of the burger behemoth's stores worldwide.

The company states that global sales increased 6.9 percent in December, helping it distribute an average $2 annual dividend to shareholders. McDonald's plans to open 1,000 new locations in 2009. Only Subway restaurants plans to open more stores.

"Two-thousand-eight was a strong year for McDonald's," CEO Jim Skinner states. "Through our strategic focus on menu choice, food quality and value, the average number of customers served per day increased to more than 58 million in 2008 ... The company delivered double-digit growth in operating income for the fourth quarter and the year. These accomplishments validate the strength and resilience of McDonald's."

Are there still McDonald's franchises to be had in the U.S.? Yes you can.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Solutions

Streamline In-House Developer Work with This $40 Program

Microsoft Visual Studio features tools to help programmers code faster and build complex projects across different languages and platforms.

Business News

'Wildly Inappropriate': Woman Says She Was Denied a Job Because She Didn't Wear Makeup During the Interview

Melissa Weaver was applying for a VP of HR job at a tech company via video.

Marketing

You'll Never Succeed in a Complex Market Unless You Try These Strategies

Complex industries offer opportunities in market needs, potential profitability and expansion opportunities — but the key to being successful is developing and supporting a clearly differentiated value proposition that separates your organization from potential competitors. Here's how to do it.

Side Hustle

I Started a Semi-Passive Side Hustle That Earns $33,000 a Week on Amazon: 'Selling There Is a No-Brainer'

Dr. Jenny Woo wanted to create a product that would help people connect, and it turned out to be a lucrative one.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.